Inkjet recording apparatus

Abstract

An inkjet recording apparatus includes: (a) a first medium accommodator configured to accommodate a recording medium; (b) a medium supporter having a flat horizontal surface on which the recording medium is to be supported; (c) an inkjet head having a nozzle opening surface that is opposed to the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter; (d) a first medium feeder configured to horizontally feed the recording medium accommodated in the first medium accommodator, in a medium loading direction, such that the recording medium is fed onto the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter; (e) a second medium feeder configured to horizontally feed the recording medium supported on the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter, in a medium unloading direction that intersects the medium loading direction in a plan view as seen in a direction perpendicular to the flat horizontal surface of the medium supporter; and (f) a second medium accommodator configured to accommodate the recording medium that is fed in the medium unloading direction by the second medium feeder.

1. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising:
 a first medium accommodator configured to accommodate a recording medium; 
 a medium supporter having a flat horizontal surface on which the recording medium is to be supported; 
 an inkjet head having a nozzle opening surface that is opposed to said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter; 
 a first medium feeder configured to horizontally feed the recording medium accommodated in said first medium accommodator, in a single medium loading direction, such that the recording medium is fed onto said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter; 
 a second medium feeder configured to horizontally feed the recording medium supported on said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter, in a single medium unloading direction that is substantially perpendicular to the single medium loading direction in a plan view as seen in a direction perpendicular to said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter; and 
 a second medium accommodator configured to accommodate the recording medium that is fed in the medium unloading direction by said second medium feeder. 
 
     
     
       2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first medium accommodator is configured to receive the recording medium introduced thereinto in a medium introducing direction that is opposite to the single medium unloading direction. 
     
     
       3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein said first medium accommodator has a medium introducing opening which faces an upstream side of said first medium accommodator in the medium introducing direction and which allows introduction of the recording medium into said first medium accommodator therethrough in the medium introducing direction, 
 and wherein said second medium accommodator is disposed on a downstream side of said medium supporter in the single medium unloading direction. 
 
     
     
       4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a head mover configured to move said inkjet head relative to said medium supporter in parallel or perpendicular to the medium introducing direction; 
 a first feeder controller configured to control said first medium feeder, for causing the recording medium to be fed by said first medium feeder from the first medium accommodator onto said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter; 
 a head mover controller configured to control said head mover, for causing said inkjet head to be moved by said head mover; 
 an ink ejection controller configured to control said inkjet head, for causing ink to be ejected, during movement of said inkjet head, through nozzles opening in said nozzle opening surface, toward the recording medium supported on said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter; and 
 a second feeder controller configured to control said second medium feeder, for causing the recording medium to be fed by said second medium feeder from said flat horizontal surface toward said second medium accommodator. 
 
     
     
       5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein said nozzle opening surface of said inkjet head is a rectangular surface elongated in a longitudinal direction which is parallel to said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter and which is perpendicular to the medium introducing direction, 
 wherein said inkjet head has a plurality of nozzles which open in said nozzle opening surface and which are arranged in at least one row parallel to the longitudinal direction, 
 and wherein said head mover is configured to move said inkjet head in parallel to the medium introducing direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter is a rectangular surface elongated in the medium introducing direction, 
 and wherein said first medium accommodator is configured to receive the recording medium that is elongated in the medium introducing direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a feeder controller configured to control said first medium feeder, for causing the recording medium to be fed by said first medium feeder from said first medium accommodator onto said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter; 
 a medium positioner configured to be selectively placed in one of positioning and non-positioning states, such that the recording medium fed onto said flat horizontal surface is positioned in a predetermined position relative to said flat horizontal surface when said medium positioner is placed in the positioning state; 
 a positioner controller configured to control said medium positioner, for placing said medium positioner in a selected one of the positioning and non-positioning states; and 
 a determiner configured, when said medium positioner is placed in the positioning state, to determine whether the recording medium is positioned in the predetermined position, 
 wherein said feed controller is configured to control said first medium feeder to stop feeding the recording medium, when said determiner determines that the recording medium is positioned in the predetermined position. 
 
     
     
       8. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein said medium positioner includes a stopper that is configured to be placed in a projecting position during placement of said medium positioner in the positioning state and to be placed in a non-projecting position during placement of said medium positioner in the non-positioning state, such that said stopper projects out from said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter toward said nozzle opening surface of said inkjet head when said stopper is placed in the projecting position, and such that said stopper does not project out from said flat horizontal surface when said stopper is placed in the non-projecting position, 
 and wherein said stopper is configured to position the recording medium that is brought into contact at an end portion thereof with said stopper when said stopper is placed in the projecting position. 
 
     
     
       9. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein said stopper includes a first portion and a second portion that are disposed in a widthwise end portion and a longitudinal end portion of said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter, respectively, 
 wherein said first portion of said stopper defines a first contact surface intersecting with a direction of width of said flat horizontal surface, whereby positioning of the recording medium relative to said flat horizontal surface in the direction of width of said flat horizontal surface is assured by contact of the recording medium with said first contact surface, 
 and wherein said second portion of said stopper defines a second contact surface intersecting with a direction of length of said flat horizontal surface, whereby positioning of the recording medium relative to said flat horizontal surface in the direction of length of said flat horizontal surface is assured by contact of the recording medium with said second contact surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein said determiner includes a detector disposed in a detecting position which is located in vicinity of said stopper, so as to detect presence of said end portion of the recording medium in the detecting position, 
 and wherein said determiner is configured to determine that the recording medium is positioned in the predetermined position, when said detector detects the presence of said end portion of the recording medium in the detecting position. 
 
     
     
       11. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said positioner controller is configured to place said medium positioner into the non-positioning state from the positioning state, after said first medium feeder stops feeding the recording medium and before said head mover moves said inkjet head. 
     
     
       12. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a feeder controller configured to control said first medium feeder, for causing the recording medium to be fed by said first medium feeder from said first medium accommodator onto said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter,
 wherein said first medium feeder includes (i) a feed roller that is to be brought into contact with the recording medium accommodated in said first medium accommodator, (ii) a rotational force applier configured to apply a rotational force to said feed roller such that the recording medium is fed by rotation of said feed roller, (iii) a roller holder holding said feed roller and displaceable for causing said feed roller to be selectively positioned in a contact position in which said feed roller is in contact with the recording medium and a non-contact position in which said feed roller is not in contact with the recording medium, and (iv) a displacer configured to displace said roller holder so as to position said feed roller in a selected one of the contact position and the non-contact position, 
 and wherein said feed controller controls said rotational force applier and said displacer such that the rotational force is applied to said feed roller while said feed roller is positioned in the contact position. 
 
     
     
       13. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein said first medium feeder includes, in addition to said feed roller as a first feed roller, said rotational force applier as a first rotational force applier, said roller holder as a first roller holder and said displacer as a first displacer, (v) a second feed roller that is to be brought into contact with the recording medium fed by said first feed roller, so as to cooperate with said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter for gripping the fed recording medium, (vi) a second rotational force applier configured to apply a rotational force to said second feed roller such that the recording medium is fed by rotation of said second feed roller, (vii) a second roller holder holding said second feed roller and displaceable for causing said second feed roller to be selectively positioned in a contact position in which said second feed roller is in contact with the recording medium and a non-contact position in which said second feed roller is not in contact with the recording medium, and (iv) a second displacer configured to displace said second roller holder so as to position said second feed roller in a selected one of the contact position and the non-contact position, 
 and wherein said feed controller controls said second rotational force applier and said second displacer such that the rotational force is applied to said second feed roller while said second feed roller is positioned in the contact position. 
 
     
     
       14. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said second feed roller is, when being positioned in the non-contact position by said second displacer, spaced apart from the recording medium supported on said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter, by a distance that allows passage of said inkjet head between said second feed roller and the recording medium. 
     
     
       15. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said second medium feeder comprises an element configured to contact the recording medium supported on said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter, 
 and wherein, when said element contacts the recording medium supported on said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter, said element is configured to feed the recording medium that is supported on said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter from said flat horizontal surface toward said second medium accommodator in the single medium unloading direction. 
 
     
     
       16. The inkjet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said inkjet head is configured to perform a recording operation on the recording medium when the recording medium is positioned in a predetermined position relative to said flat horizontal surface of said medium supporter, 
 and wherein, after the recording operation, said second medium feeder is configured to horizontally feed the recording medium in the single medium unloading direction directly from the predetermined position toward said second medium accommodator.